Love India, Love Hindi

This is a dedication to all who love Hindi. I wanted to write this post in Hindi and after a couple of attempts, i am quite aware i am no good at my own mother-tongue ( I mean not good enough to do justice to the matter here).....Apologies!!!!!!!!!!!!!



A few weeks ago we were gone to a trip to Paris. On our last day of stay, as we were rushing back to our hotel to pack and rush to the Airport. But on our way back from sight-seeing we realized we hadn't had much of a lunch and so we popped in to an eatery for a sandwich or some snack. As we ordered and waited for our panini to be heated, me and my husband chatted and were promptly interrupted by the shopkeeper (a Parisian by looks). We were truly in for a surprise when he started convering in 'Hindi' and was quite good at that.

Here's a part of what was said and which i wanted to share:

Myself: Ek coffee bhi le lena.
Hubby: Ok, par tumhare pas change hai?
Myself: Haan hai.
Hubby( to the: Excuse me, We'll take a coffee as well....Please!
shopkeeper)
Shopkeeper: Sure....Aap log India se aaye hain??
Myself and Hubby: ????????????????
Hubby: Yes, aap Hindi jaante hain???
Shopkeeper: Haan, aur mujhe ye dekh kar bahut achcha lag raha hai ki
aap log aapas mein Hindi mein baat kar rahe ho. Yehan jitne bhi aate hain , foreigners ke saath saath aapas mein bhi English mein baatein karte hain , as if, unko bhi Hindi nahi aati.
Myself(curious): Well, Yes that's sad. But tell me, aapne Hindi kahan se seekhi??
Shopkeeper : Jahan aapne English seekhi.
(smiling)

All the three smiled to that and then promising to meet if we stayed or came back we left.

We were sure left with the thought of the impression ,we and others like us ,left on these foreigners when we ourselves showed preference to a foreign language over our mother-tongue.
But, glad that people all over the world are loving Hindi so much as to make an effort at learning and speaking in Hindi.

Black or White

For any of his fan , Shahrukh Khan (SRK) is a phenomena. Just by the fact that i am writing this, it's obvious that I too ,am an ardent fan of SRK and have been so for a long ,long time. And just so, i thought my blogs won't truly be completed without mentioning him!!!!!!!

It is my personal opinion (seconded by many of my friends) SRK looks his best in either Black or White clothes. And I am yet to decide, which of the two looks better :-)
One of DDLJ's song where He and Kajol have a formal dressed up song in the snow, in which he is dressed in a Black Formal Suit and the one in KHNH's title song dressed in white - are my favourites.
Well, of course he looks 'just wow' 'any which ways'.
I found this somewhere which seems to be written for him.....

I used to dream of eyes so blue, And loving arms to hold me.
I used to dream of heroic knights, And how gracious they would be.
I used to dream of how I wouldn’t settle,For anything less than best.
I used to dream of how he would majestically, Lay all fears to rest.
I used to dream of fairy tales,How wondrous would they be.
I used to dream of story books, All patterned after me.
I used to dream of a lot of things,But the moment I met you,
I immediately stopped dreaming, Because all of my dreams came true.

Well, it's just an excuse for a writing down something on SRK.... :-)

Bird Watching ......It's Fun!!

When we first shifted in our new house in Bailey Court, I was glad of the full length glass window. After living a year and a half in UK through it's nasty weather, one can be greatly thankful for such small favours. Especially, one from India with so much of open space to wander. You learn to appreciate even small things when they are not so easily available.

With not so much of work to keep up company and weather not allowing you to indulge in something athletic, I used to look out of that window watching the trains, cars and other vehicles one the road ahead.

From that window, there were some trees visible which in itself was not quite eye-catching. But soon, i noticed a little bird carrying straws for building it's nest. The tree had no leaves left in the winters. So , for many days i kept following the progress of the bird and eventually the nest was complete. Soon, spring came and the tree started filling up with green leaves. Now, the nest is only visible when the wind sways the trees and that too, only someone knowing it exists, will be able to notice it. The bird is still around. I can see it on the grounds sometimes.

It's fun and inspiring to watch it....day by day, a twig at a time....such is the dedication of the small bird. Few things are impossible to diligence and skill. Great works are performed not by strength, but perseverance.

You Smiled

You smiled, you spoke and I believed,
By every word and smile - deceived.

Another man would hope no more;
Nor hope I - what I hoped before.

But let not this last wish be vain;
Deceive, deceive me once again !

Our homeland beckons us..........

It seems like time has stopped....
Right now, if i want anything desperately it is to return to India..my home land. For no particular reason than being terribly bored and homesick.It's weird that i still feel this homesickness after years of sepration from my family and good old dear friends. Even if there's no one back home waiting for me...now i just want to go back. Somehow, a foreign land seems borrowed and not my own; whereas India is - good or bad , rich or poor- it's mine and will be......... till death do us apart!!! :-)

It's not about patriotism or any such thing it's just about loving what is your own. And this feeling must be very common in any individual. I have met people who want to go abroad and may be settle there if possible. Among them , there are some who genuinely have reasons to do so. Some, for whom it really doesn't matter where in the world they reside. But then, i really don't understand those who just want to go abroad for it is a 'better' place to live than our India. Yes, ofcourse these are developed countries with lots of ease in the way of life. But then, isn't it our own responsiblilty to bring India to such state of development? If we are going to leave it who's ever going to bring in that change? And if we can't strive for bringing in that change (political, infrastructural or in any small or big way) ......who are we to complain????????

It's the 'minds' of it's people which can make or break a nation. And, if we can't do anything to serve our country atleast we can be 'loyal' to our country!!!!!!!!!!

In the last two years, if i have understood one thing about myself, it is that, i am most happy when i am in my own country among my own people. True 'tis that you know the value of something when it's taken away from you.

For now, i just want to go back....feel the heat, smell the air and hear the words in 'hindi' of my family, friends and neighbours!!!

Communication.....why is it so difficult??

I have been wondering about this for almost..... as long as i remember.....

I used to be a shy kinda girl.....not much into friends and socializing.Ofcourse, i had some very good and close friends always, who were real treasures. Some of those are still sticking around.

Well, back then people used to emphasise that words are important to communicate and if i don't speak up nobody will understand what i wanted to say. My understanding was - It's almost visible on the face of a person what he 'needs'....words are important only to bring people together.
So, gradually as i grew up and reaslized my theory doesn't work, i tried adopting the 'mass theory'. And , i have been speaking up for all my needs and views for almost a decade now...i adopted it so well that it has become my second nature to speak up what i think. But lately , i am becoming more and more aware that -even words don't work!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, if words don't help in communication, wat does???? I guess it's the PEOPLE. Some people just communicate well and some don't. And, it's not necessary that a good communicator is always so.....even he might not be able to communicate with some people.....well, then the 'theory of communication' suggests there are people who can be 'communicated with' or people who 'can't be'........And sometimes they are even proud of being 'unavailable to communicate with. So , it must be that they don't need a society or friends or anyone for company. But then , i have never seen any one who don't have even some friends or family to talk to.........

Well, once somebody said to me 'If one doesn't understand your silence , he'll never understand your words' .....And with time i am experiencing how true these words are!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(I hope i am being clear.....again words are needed and i am now increasingly aware i am not good with words!!!)

News Update On Praneel

I did write some time ago abt my son, Praneel, when he was about to turn 6 months. He has come a long way since then...Now he's 17 months old and going great guns at becoming an 'individual' !!! He's not yet started speaking clearly but does mumbles and makes sure we understand him with his myriad gestures. He started walking when he turned 1 year old. And ever since, our house has not been in any order. He's especially fond of utensils!!

Recently , he has figured that to wear clothes he just needs to put his hands in any of the 'holes' available in his Ts or Pajamas...so now he just pulls out the clothes from his drawers and puts his hands in some 'hole' and comes running to show it to me..my boy is getting bigger and smarter!

He's also fond of laptops in the house... He has learnt to pull out his dad's laptop's power cord and tries to put it back on. He has learnt to say 'horray!!' recently and does with pulling up both his hands in the air. Also, says 'Hello' with proper 'handshake' and points to head when asked 'Where is your head?'

He likes outdoors and even at mid-night is ready to go out if asked. Once out, doesn't want to come back and has to be forced (picked up) to get back to home.He knows his way from the front door to the main-road and loves to watch cars and buses moving on the roads!

I understand that it must the same feeling for most parents (joy and awe) seeing their little ones grow everyday.....but the difference is about 'listening to a description of sunset' and 'seeing the sunset' ..the feeling is as different!! Having never seen such a little baby around in my life it's really an experience in itself.

Ofcourse, a pleasant and most desirable one!!! :-)

Just thinking.....

Well, i don't seem to be quite so consistent on this blogging affair even though i really want to :-)

Been thinking, what might be the reason? They might be that - I am too lazy to write(but i sure am not!) Then must b that , i don't think my thoughts are worth putting up for ppl to read (ummm, to a certain degree i think that is a reason)
I came up with the real reason just now as i was surfing thru some blogs......I am an avid reader and i like to READ more than i like to WRITE :-) It's funny...but true.
It's interesting to read other ppl's blog (ofcourse , some are not so interesting too) but i like to see how ppl's mind work. With blogs ppl are expressing their thoughts like never before. So many of them could have been great writers, politicians ,cooks and what not? It's good to find an outlet for their thoughts many of which would have been wasted just for the 'lack of opportunity'. With life running so busy with saving jobs.....who finds time for labor of love??

And, blogging does help to clear up your jumbled thoughts sometimes!!!

Long time no see....eh!

It's been exactly 1 year now since my last post!!! Not that i want to mark each year with just one post surely...It just so happened that i didn't feel like writing. I wud love to say i was busy with other things but it was more coz of my 'lazy bones'. For some time i had almost even forgotten abt blogs.... :-)

But isn't everybdy around talking abt blogs n blogs only.....so u can't just close ur ears n pretend that u don't know or remember abt ur blogs :-) And, honestly it is a great outlet for ur thoughts if u need one.
So , here i am back to blogosphere and hope to remain an active blogger in my second inning.